• by Fern Siegel , September 27, 2023

A new, specially targeted media buying firm has launched.

Polaris focuses on TV and digital, creating media strategy and campaigns for Democrats. Polaris' services include cross-screen media buying, linear buying, programmatic digital, terrestrial-streaming radio and targeting Spanish-language audiences.

"Too many campaigns are falling into the trap of putting TV and digital in separated silos,” said Polaris founder-CEO Tom Pino. “It’s critical that Democrats modernize the way we communicate to voters we expect to make the gains we desperately need. The paid-media playbooks of the past no longer apply, and modern Democratic campaigns need to catch up in a hurry."

Pino contends African-American and Latino voters are not always reached with key Democratic messaging. Instead, they are inundated with misinformation. Those misfires put progressive candidates and campaigns at a significant disadvantage in an era of razor-thin margins.

Polaris believes it is crucial to match the message to the channel.

Pino has participated in seven election cycles, directing hundreds of millions of dollars in ad spend, including working for the presidential campaigns of Hillary Clinton and Amy Klobuchar. He has also worked with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and helped the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee hold off an expected Red Wave in 2022.

Most recently, Pino served as vice president, media at Rising Tide Interactive. Before that, he was an associate media director at GPS Impact and senior buyer at GMMB.